The broad class of petroleum oxidates and their calcium soap derivatives are well known corrosion preventing additives in petroleum fractions, e.g., lubricating oils, gasoline, diesel oil, kerosene, etc. where the resultant compositions are either utilized as fuels or as protective coatings. The oxidates are a complex mixture of oxygenated compounds comprising acids, alcohols, aldehydes, esters and ketones, the specific chemical compound combination in the oxidates being dependent upon the chemical makeup of the petroleum fraction oxidized and degree of oxidation. Variations in either wall result in a different combination of chemical compounds. Accordingly, since petroleum oxidates defy description by structure or by nomenclature, the resultant oxidates are defined in terms of properties, source material and/or method of manufacture.
One of the major deficiencies of many of the prior art oxidates is that, in their conversion to the calcium soaps, gelation of the soap products occurs, undesirably resulting in an incomplete soap formation and severe handling difficulties in processing equipment. Further, the gel often persists even under cutback (solvent dilution) conditions resulting in a corrosion inhibiting composition which undesirably cannot be uniformly distributed over a surface to be protected. Even in those cases where gel formation does not occur during saponification, the resultant soap will often form gels under cutback conditions which as heretofore stated results in a product of reduced corrosion inhibiting ability.